English abstract

Autism is defined as an organic brain defect development manifested difficulties in social interaction and communication, and unusual behaviors (138, 139). According to data from the literature prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders has rise and in a report by Center of Disease Control in Atalanta, USA (CDC) it was 6.6 per 1,000 (8). Given the growing number of advocates of deinstitutionalization and the return of persons with severe disabilities in the family (84-86), recent guidelines on treatment and rehabilitation of children with pervasive developmental disorder where parents take a very important role in the care and upbringing of their children (16-18) and the fact that impaired the health of parents can affect their quality of care for family members with disabilities (23-26), this group of parents must live with acceptable quality of life and satisfactory level of physical and mental health. Quality of life is multidimensional term, which consists of: Standard of Living, Personal Health, Achieving in Life, Personal Relationships, Personal Safety and Community-Connectedness (29). The aim of this study was to determine differences in quality of life, health status and morbidity among parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders and parents of healthy children. The study included 350 parents of which 178 parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders (diagnosed by code F84 International Classification of diseases and related conditions, tenth revision) with a median age of 43 yr (27-83 yr). In this group of parents was 105 mothers (59.0%) and 73 fathers (41.0%). The control group consists of 172 parents of healthy children, median age 42 years (24-82 years), of which the 101 mothers (58.7%) and 71 fathers (41.3%). Most respondents in both groups were married, although an increasing number of single parents in the group of parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders (11.2%), compared with 9.3% of a group of parents of healthy children. The obtained results indicate that parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders have a significantly lower subjective quality of life (p <0.001) compared to parents of healthy children in all domains of quality of life as well as its overall index and to have poorer self perceived-health in all dimensions of health except in physical health compared to the control group parents. 41% of parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders, and 30.2% of parents of healthy children, said that he suffers from a chronic disease, with the biggest difference in the group of psychological disorders (F00-F99 ICD-10 code groups). 11% of parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders suffer from a disease of the that group, which is 6.7% more than parents of healthy children. Despite all the above facts, 38% of parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders maintain the subjective quality of life in the ranges of the Croatian general population or even higher, what suggesting a possible resistance to the existing situation. Regression analysis showed that satisfaction with the achievements in life, interpersonal relationships and safety in the future are statistically significant factors affecting the maintenance of subjective quality of life in the normal ranges for the general population. Especially interesting is the fact that 71% of parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders is considered to change the political situation in that respect is important for them and their children contributed to their situation and quality of life, or even improve with the same time that most of them (20%) believe that improving the financial situation of their families; improving diagnosis, therapy and rehabilitation of persons with pervasive developmental disorders and the need for a large number of institutions and improving the quality of existing, had the greatest impact on improving the quality of their life. Given the limitation of the study, above mentioned, this research can serve as the beginning of future research on parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders. Research could be carried out continuously in the National Strategy for Persons with Disabilities, and the results used to continually improve the wellbeing of this particular vulnerable population. When it should be possible to make modifications to legislation that would allow access to the subjects through a register of people with disabilities. Such a method would allow the formation of a random sample, which would contribute to the representativeness of the sample and the quality of research.